June 13, 2011

The work this week has been amazing! We have been working hard and praying harder. I have really tried to focus on praying as if everything depends on God and then working as if everything depends on me, because it does. We have a lot of people that we are working with and I'm so grateful for that. I have truly seen Gods hand in this work this week. I have seen a huge difference in this work when I have centered the work on the Savior and follow every prompting that I get. We went to having one baptism date and no investigators, to four baptism dates (Colby, Kylie, & Will and Ailauna) and seven new investigators. Isn't that amazing! We are seeing miracles everywhere, here in our area, in our district and in our zone. The mission is on fire and I know that we can and will achieve our goal of 900 baptisms with 80% retention. It is so awesome! Most of our dates have come from Part member families and recent converts. I know that it is and will be through the members that we will reach our goal.

It was so amazing on Sunday to have that many people attend church. It was full. I think that is more people that I have had in one Sunday than I have had my whole mission. I know, sad. But the mission has come and grown so far and I feel as if I have done the same right along with it. We had the chance to teach Relief Society on Sunday about missionary work. It was so amazing. I really hoped it pumped up the sisters to help us out on trade offs and getting their own family missionary plan started. We showed a video about how the little things change lives and it showed testimonies of recent converts testimonies and how they got introduced to the church. Then after the video we has our recent convert of two weeks, sister Davis, bare her testimony on the simple invitation to have missionaries answer her questions that concluded with her whole family getting baptized. Then it turned to a testimony of converts to the church. We have so many converts in this ward and I know if they just open there mouth the work here will double and triple. I just feel it. This ward has so much fire and passion with no direction. This ward is going through a lot of changes in order to find that direction and a lot of people are meeting with us, but I know we can do better. I love this ward. It's amazing to be a part of the growth. The bishop here is just amazing. He is very young with a young family but willing and ready to serve. He's amazing and so is his wife. They help us so much and we do what we can to return the favor by working hard and serving them.

So I looked at my schedule for school and I think it will be good. Thank you so much for doing it. I got on line probably fifteen min. late and you were done and off. You’re quick. It seemed like a long day but I remember that dance classes were always late. Are they all the classes I need to take? I have worked with most of the teachers before so I think that it will be good. Good job mom. Thank you again. Honestly when it comes to living quarters, it would be nice to be close, unless I had a car ;) but since I know that's not happening, anything but colonial. I'm not too fond of them and I've lived there for three years. Time for a change. But my request would be somewhere close, nice in room and closet size and somewhere with air conditioning and heat. Other than that. We are good. Just do your best. I know it's slim pickins. But God will provide.
I'm sad I’m missing youth conference and girls camp. I would have loved to help out. I'll be praying that everything goes well and that the weather is nice and that people are healthy. I'm sorry the weather is so crazy. It is definitely summer here and all the glory of the humidity with it. I guess it's not that bad. August and September is worse. I'm glad I'm not here for two summers. I don’t know if I could do it. But I'm actually starting to love a little humidity. It reminds me of camping a bit.

So Skyler left? He is already doing so well. He is going to be an amazing missionary! I'm so excited for him! I bet Heidi is thrilled to know he is doing so well.

I don’t know how you two are going without sugar but I'm going to try to do it with you when I get home. I hope to get back to normal, size and eating habits. It's going to be good.

I love you all so much. Go out and share the gospel. Keep praying for opportunities to share the gospel and keep praying for people on your list that the missionaries made with you before. Those names are inspired. I love you!

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About Me

While I serve my LDS mission in the Jacksonville, Florida mission I will be writing back home about my many experiences. Thanks to my mom and sister; this blog will be a compilation of all those letters/pictures that will help update all those that want to follow. I am looking forward to the many things I will be able to learn and grow from in these next several months. I start my journey January 27th 2010 and will be serving the Lord for 18 months.